


you made flowers grow in my lungs and though they are beautiful i can't fucking breathe

by intertwiningwords



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Chubby Neville, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Lovers, Herbology, Hogwarts Eighth Year, M/M, Mutual Pining, making out in a greenhouse, slytherdor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 13:39:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14333613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/intertwiningwords/pseuds/intertwiningwords
Summary: neville goes the greenhouse to think until a certain slytherin starts hanging around there as well.





	you made flowers grow in my lungs and though they are beautiful i can't fucking breathe

**Author's Note:**

> how dare tumblr make me ship this stupid rare pair i hate y'all so much but anyway hi hope you enjoy this!!!

Neville would never be able to understand what was running through Professor McGonagall’s head when she assigned Draco Malfoy to detention in the greenhouse. Neville wasn’t in detention, of course, but he wandered to the greenhouse when his thoughts were running rampant when he needed peace, or a break, a breather.

To see a head of white-blond hair in his own little safe space took his breath away momentarily.

His footsteps made the Slytherin boy jump, turning a shooting Neville an icy look.

“What are you doing here, Longbottom? There’s no way you’ve got detention unless you managed to blow up another cauldron again,” he said.

Neville’s cheeks went hot against his will as he tried to stutter out some excuse. “I just- I uh, wanted to check...on the plants.” Wow, that sounded even lamer coming out of his mouth.

Draco scoffed. “Don’t worry, I won’t kill your precious plants. I do actually pay attention Herbology, you know.”

Neville knew he could just turn around and leave. But there was a part of him that still needed the security of being surrounded by silently living things, unable to tease and taunt but make him feel needed in some way. And he wasn’t going to let Draco Malfoy ruin another thing for him.

It was awkwardly silent for a moment, and Neville found himself observing what Draco did curiously, watching his nimble fingers delicately pull at weeds as if he didn’t want to get his hands dirty. It almost made Neville laugh as he looked at his own hands.

“What are you smirking about?” Draco asked.

Oh. So he’d been looking at Neville too. Neville could feel his ears going red as he averted his gaze to his lap. “Nothing,” he said softly.

“Clearly it wasn’t nothing if you seem so amused.”

“You just...You look like you’re trying to avoid getting your hands all dirty. I thought it was just kind of, you know...cute.”

Why did he say that? His face was on fire and he would have sworn he saw a pink tinge raise on Draco’s pale face too. But he didn’t say anything rude back. “Oh,” was all he said before turning back to the plants. Yes, there was definitely a blush on his face.

And then Neville suddenly felt a bit smug. He made Draco Malfoy blush. Oh, how the tables had turned. Silence followed again for a bit until Neville looked back up.

“It’s actually better for that plant to leave the weeds in it. Helps it grow better,” he said.

Draco looked up, slowly releasing his grip on the little green stem. “Really? I don’t remember learning that in class.” 

“I, uh, read up a lot on this stuff,” Neville admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Well, that’s...cool.”

“Thanks, but no one else seems to think so,” Neville said with a shrug.

“Who cares what they think?” Draco replied.

Neville could have laughed out loud. How dare Draco Malfoy, the narcissistic, pompous, privileged, popular-

“I know that must sound crazy coming from me,” Draco interrupted his thoughts as if he’d read them. “I mean it though. But if you tell anyone that I said this I will be obligated to hex you, Longbottom.”

That just made Neville laugh.

Draco’s detention was up shortly after, and they gave awkward nods and waves in place of goodbye. Neville was left confused at the sudden loneliness that flooded him as he watched the Slytherin boy stride out of the greenhouse.

 

***

 

It was weird, seeing each other in the halls and classes after what happened in the greenhouse just a week before. Neville knew that Draco wouldn’t be caught dead smiling at him or saying hi to him, but there was an odd sort of connection between them now. Catching each other’s eye in class. Subtle nods of acknowledgment in the halls. It was weird. But a good kind of weird, like Luna Lovegood’s stories of magical creatures or Muggle traditions like football. The kind of weird that left you intrigued. That left you so curious it almost hurt. That made you want more.

Neville hated that he wanted more. He’d gone so long peacefully hating Malfoy and all his friends and yet there was a small part of him that wanted, almost needed a sense of approval and attention from him.

Neville did not have a crush on Draco Malfoy. That was simply absurd to even imagine. Right? Right. Totally crazy. Insane even! Ridiculous as his gran’s fashion sense.

But then why did he feel his cheeks flush scarlet when their eyes met? Why did he secretly wish to be his partner for a lesson in class? Why did he want to run into him in a secluded setting like that again? Why did he suddenly forget how to breathe when he thought about blond hair and grey eyes and slender fingers pulling up weeds-

Oh, he was so fucked. 

 

***

 

It had been a long day of screwing up, feeling stupid, just his normal daily routine amplified ten times. He’d lost twenty points for Gryffindor because his potion overflowed and nearly ate a hole through the table because he added spider legs before newt eyes. 

Finally he had a moment to escape, and he sought comfort in the greenhouse. At least taking care of plants was something he couldn’t fuck up.

He sat facing away from the door, hovering over an asphodel that was starting to wilt, making sure to water it just the right amount and planning to place it where it would get the perfect amount of sunlight.

However, he was interrupted by the sound of someone entering. Standing up, an apology for Professor Sprout ready on his lips, he turned and was so taken aback to see none other than the blond Slytherin who’d been on his mind all week, his mouth literally dropped open.

Regaining his senses, his gave his head a little shake and blinked. 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Draco said, a tiny smile curling on his lips. It wasn’t his usual cruel, twisted smirk. It was a genuine smile, though it was barely noticeable and gone far too quickly for Neville’s liking.

“That’s...That’s okay,” Neville replied, hands fiddling with the sleeve of his robes. “What, uh, what are you doing in here?”

And Draco’s face flushed a little, just like when Neville slipped up and called him cute (which he still hadn’t fully forgiven himself for; how embarrassing!). “Well, after that detention I started to, I don’t know...care a little more about this stuff,” he said with a shrug.

“Really?”

“Yeah. I suppose it feels good to take care of something living. That’s why people have pets, right?”

“I know exactly what you mean. It seems that taking care of these is the only thing I’m not a complete failure at,” Neville gave a little self-deprecating chuckle, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

Draco frowned a little. “Don’t say that. You’re not a failure at everything. Potions, maybe, but not everything.” His tone was teasing though, and it made Neville actually smile for the first time all day.

“And Transfiguration, and Charms, and Defense Against-”

“You’re great at Charms!” Draco butted in immediately. “You’re one of the best in our year in that class, I heard Flitwick say it himself.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes. Despite the rumors, not all Slytherins are liars, you know.”

“I know that,” Neville said. “But you’re so much smarter.”

“That’s totally different,” Draco said. “I get good grades because I study a lot. I was raised in a Pureblood household that taught me these things since I could speak. And Granger? She might be Muggleborn, but she’s read every book under the sun about this stuff. But you? You’re practical. You work with your hands, you’re not afraid to get dirty. You’re more intuitive and kind. You have your skills, they’re just not necessarily the skills that your O.W.L.S can show. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t smart, Neville.”

And by the end of his little rant, Neville wanted to cry. It was probably the nicest thing anyone had said to him in a while, and to hear it from Malfoy of all people was really just the icing on the cake. He also took note of the fond way he spoke of Hermione, called her Muggleborn instead of a Mudblood. Maybe he really had changed.

“Thank you, Mal- Draco. That, uh...that’s really nice of you to say,” he managed to reply.

Draco actually smiled that time. “I’m just being honest, you know. Now, would you mind teaching me some stuff about these plants?”

Neville happily obliged, pointing out different species and spewing fun facts about them. Draco listened intently, nodding and occasionally asking questions. Like he genuinely cared. Like Neville wasn’t boring him to death. It felt nice to feel heard.

And Neville wasn’t really sure how they got there. All he knew was that one moment, he was talking about the defense mechanisms of a Venomous Tentacula, and the next, he was against the wall of the greenhouse and Draco Malfoy was kissing him, and he was kissing Draco Malfoy back.

What a nice, unexpected way to end a bad day.

 

***

 

“Cut it out,” Neville mumbled, pushing at Draco’s head gently.

“But you’re comfortable!”

Draco’s head was resting against Neville’s round stomach, arms wrapped around his waist.

“Your hair is tickling me,” he complained.

“Oh, really?”

“Don’t you dare, Malfoy.”

Obviously, Draco didn’t listen, and Neville’s laughter filled their room until the two of them could barely fit anymore. 

Just like with his intelligence, Draco made him feel so much better about his body too. Draco was thin and slender with a flat stomach, long legs, and prominent collarbones and ribs and hips. Neville was chubbier with thick thighs and faint little stretch marks on his waist. But not a second went by where Draco let Neville think any less of himself because of it, which he was currently proving by peppering Neville’s stomach in little, ticklish kisses. And Neville really couldn’t say that he minded too much.

It was weird. Weird to be dating someone he had once never pictured even tolerating. Weird to fall asleep beside someone when he was sure he’d end up alone, if he even lived that long. But it was the good kind of weird. The kind of weird that left him waking up the next morning, smiling at the sleeping man beside him, and wanting more.

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed! feedback is always appreciated in the form of kudos or comments. one simple click can really boost a writer's self-esteem!
> 
> tumblr: intertwiningwords.tumblr.com
> 
> also check out chubbynevillefest.tumblr.com for some quality art/fics featuring chubby!neville


End file.
